Analysis of land boundary and ownership disputes and settlements in Simbu Province, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

This paper is a further step to previous research efforts at investigating the types and causes of land disputes in Papua New Guinea. The rationale behind the present research effort is the need to analyse the interrelationships and significance of boundary and land ownership disputes’ factors hindering socio-economic developments in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Using the purposive sampling technique, key informant interviews, questionnaire surveys and field investigations were conducted with disputants, State’s authorities and local dispute settlement officials and mediators selected from four political districts in Simbu Province. According to the findings, Simbu registered an average of 54 land disputes between 2013 and 2015. Nearly half of these disputes were about counter-ownership claims, while a third of them were related to boundary discrepancies. More than two-thirds of survey responses indicated that the relationships between land ownership and boundary disputes were strong, while 100% indicated that land ownership disputes are mainly about disputed boundaries and encroachments. The strong correlation coefficients are as high as 0.9 or more at the confidence levels of 99% and 95% (2-tailed). This indicated very strong and positive relationships and very high confidence levels of significance among land dispute factors exhibited by landowners in the study area. However, boundary and ownership disputes among individuals, families and clans with regards to oral and unfixed boundaries are ranked as the most frequent type of land disputes, followed by land grabbing offences committed by individuals. Based on these findings, it is recommended that customary landowners need to be guided well through the Voluntary Customary Land Registration Process (VCLR) and payments of service fees and charges, which must be affordable. Finally, full computerisation and regular updating of the PNG Land Dispute Settlement System are overdue to promote and stabilise sustainable land administration and economic development policies and practices in Simbu Province and the entire country.